To get a better understanding of the
"Janus face" of social control
theories - through the social
construct of drug use as an example
Katalin Felvinczi, Anna Magi, Zsolt Demetrovics, Borbála Paksi,
Background, theoretical considerations
Strikingly negative attitudes towards marginalised social groups in most countries; the most negative ones appear in relation to drug users, drug use – social control theories vs. symbolic interactionism?
• The main point of our research is to explore if the negative attitudes towards drug use is having a •
– a protecting function (social control theory) or a – a risk amplifying potency (symbolic interactionism – labelling theory)
•
Research questions:
– What is the hidden structure and content of social attitudes towards drugs phenomena, drug use, and drug users? (stereotype content model, S. Fiske)
– What are the differences in drugs phenomenon related attitudes of those who quitted and those who are currently using drugs?
Preparations related to the quantitative data collection – Delphi survey
The main purpose of the Delphi survey was to develop an appropriate measurement technique for measuring the content and structure of attitudes – multidimensional scaling; •Number of experts approached: Br. 31
•The Delphi survey was carried out in two rounds
Content of the survey:
•What kind of scaling technique would be the easiest, most appropriate (pair of adjectives vs. Likert scale)? •Which and how many adjectives would be the best to describe the social groups? Starting number of pair of adjectives: 56 ‐ final number 12 •How many and which social groups to be included? Starting number
13, final number 5
Main methodological features of the quantitative data collection
Timing of the data March – April, 2015
collection
Geographical coverage nationwide
Target population
18‐ 64 yrs old inhabitants of Hungary
Permanent inhabitants of Hungary according to the registry of Central Office for Administrative and Electronic Public services (KEKKH) on the 1st
of January, 2014 (6.583.433 persons)
Random sample stratified according to settlement size, region, and age
Sample frame Sample selection
Sample size
Br: 2477 ps./ N: 2274
Standard error
On the level of 95% reliability ±2,1%
Data collection method Mixed technique: face to face + self administered Content of questionnaire
the Weighting procedures
EMQ + NPS + Behavioural addictions + personality dimensions + attitude questions + socio‐
demographic questions
Matrix weighting according to stratification categories
Life time prevalence estimates according to substances
CHANGES IN SOCIAL DISTANCE (HUNGARY AGED 18‐53, EU AGED 18‐64; % of response category 1, 2, Bogardus scale)
The question: „How much would you welcome someone as your neighbour who is…? 1 – would be Against; 2 – rather not; 3 – it depends; 4 – wouldn’t mind; 5 – would welcome
Social perception of substance users according different pairs of adjectives (SCM in %)
Social perception of different social groups according to different pairs of adjectives (SCM) (means)
Latent factors underpinning attitudes
Component Matrix
trustworthy ‐ untruthful
honest‐ dishonest
strong ‐ weak
persistent ‐ non‐persistent predictable ‐ unpredictable
responsible ‐ irresponsible
ambitious ‐ purposeless
good‐natured ‐ bad‐natured
independent ‐ reliant
Rotated Factor Matrix
persistent ‐ non‐persistent predictable ‐ unpredictable
responsible ‐ irresponsible
ambitious ‐ purposeless
good‐natured ‐ bad‐natured
friendly ‐ unfriendly
gifted ‐ ungifted
Component
,722
,756
,804
,752
,791
,804
,823
,681
,745
Factor
1
,633
,737
,800
,787
,311
,262
,285
2
,241
,286
,243
,309
,793
,879
,686
Principal Component Analysis: Index of negative features attributed to drug users: expl.: 58,6%
Factor analysis:
1.Index of non‐
rational behaviour: 35%
2. Lack of social desirability index: expl.: 30,9%
Relationship between indexes representing the social attitudes and continued consumption (means of indexes)
**p=0,001 *p=0,029
Conclusions
What is the hidden structure and content of social attitudes towards drugs phenomena, drug use, and drug users? (stereotype content model, S. Fiske)
 A stereotypic view related to drug users can be identified, nine of the 12 pairs of adjectives constitutes a latent factor which is Based on the current analysis it seems that social control theory expressed in the negative value index
(beliefs of the population=negative value index+non‐rational – What are the differences in the perceptions of drugs phenomenon behaviour index) can correlate with quitting, but lack of social (drug use related attitudes) of those who quitted and those who are desirability (symbolic interactionist considerations=labelling) rather continued users?
amplifies drug use; quitters are farther from the general public’s views  Both quitters and continued users share the attitudes of the than continued users.
population, but their views are less negative related to the drugs phenomenon.  Quitters are closer to the general public’s views as far as the general negative value and non‐rational behaviour indexes are concerned than continued users
 In case of lack of social desirability index continued users are a bit closer to general public views, consequently quitters are farther. –
Thank you for your attention:
[email protected]